Brooder



R. E. HUNTER lJan. 26, 71932.

BROODER Filed July 30, 1930 Patented Jan. 26, 1932 ROYDON E. HUNTER, OF DIN UBA, CALIFORNIA IBROOIDER Application led. July 30,

the i :ls of construction hereinafter described and claimed, 1t being understood that chanjr in the precise embodiment of the invent on herein disclosed may be made witl in the scope of what is claimed without departing' `from the spirit of the invention.

in the accompanying drawings the preferred forni of the invention has been shown.

in said drawings a central vertical section r A'o the figures by characters of reference. l designates the conical body of the broader which is preferably formed of sheet metal. it has inner and outer walls und il spaced apart to form a dead-air space and at the apex of the body there is provided a yfaitilating (mening- 5. An annular apron t3 is provided at the lower edge of the lio-d "ffV while connected to the upper portion thereof are chains 'i' or other flexible devices whereby the brooder can be suspended with the body at any desired distance from t! le floor.

A screen 8 is connected to concentric re* inforcing rings 9 and supported by the centrai. portion of this screen is a shield plate l0. rllhe screen, which is circular, is supported detachably in the lower portion of body l by any suitable means such as inclined studs il all but one of which extends under the niar- ,e'in of the screen. The other stud ll can engat-e a` retaining` plate l2 held thereto by a nut 13. rlhus by removing plate lf2 the screen can be lowered and slipped oil of the studs.

Tufts of feathers have been indicated at le and ar connected to the screen 8 in any suitable manner. For example they can be tied 1930. Serial No. 471,835

thereto by means of wires l5. The tufts er:` tend below the apron 6 and form a continuous mass above which the screen is concealed.

In the space above the screen is supported a heatingunit 16 which can be an ordinary incandescent lamp with a carbon filament.

In practice the broeder is suspended at the point o f use so that the tufts of feathers will just touch the floor thereunder. A n electric current is directed to the lamp and the heat thus generated will be suilicient to keep the feathers warm so as to afford ample protection for the chicks which will enter between the feathers and be protected thereby.

Should it be desired to separate the parts it would be necessary solely to detach plate 12 from the stud to which it is secured. The screen can then be withdrawn from body l and the studs l1 supporting' the screen.

By forming the body with a dead-air space within the double wall, the loss of heat through the wall is practically eliminated. The shield detlects the heat from above those feathers at the center of the broeder and the apron 6 serves as a baille to deflect cold air which might otherwise tend to flow unhampered through th-e upper portions of the marginal feathers and the adjacent portion of the screen.

What is claimed is:

A brooder including1 a conical body having; a dead-air space in the wall thereof and a Ventilating opening' at its apex, there being a depending annular apron at the margin of the body, downwardly converging spaced stnds within the body., a screen liavinav its marginal portion insertible onto the studs, means engaging one of the studs 'tor holding the screen upon all of the studs and encircled by the body, and feathers secured to and depending' from the screen to form a .mass of substantially uniform density extending from the screen and below the body. said mass being arranged entirely across the lower surface of the screen.

In testimony that I claim the fore,freine` as my own, I have hereto aiitiXed Inv signature.

ROYDON E. HUNTER. 

